The Thief King's Hikari
by YamiNoArisu
Summary: sort of a sequel to my one shot 'Don't You Wanna Stay' Now with his own body, Bakura follows Ryou back from Egypt just when he thought he was able to get away. After turning against his light for so long, what's he after this time? BxR. RxR appreciated
1. Prolouge

**AN: **So yea, first chapter may be kinda short/slow xwx This is just my version of Ryou and Bakura's first interaction after receiving the ring. In later chapters though, Bakura will appear as he is in most of the original series, I started off this way merely because he was just introducing himself, and to help reference back to my one-shot. Anyway, hope you guys can enjoy~

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><p><em>I've known him since I was 8 years old.<em>

_From what I thought, it had been the first day we met._

The playground was empty with the exception of one small white haired boy who sat by himself on a creeky swing. Fortunately for him it was desolate since he desperately wanted to be alone. Not even an hour ago had he received news that his mother and beloved sister, Amane, had died in a traffic incident. Head lowered as he clenched onto the chains of the swing, he choked on his tears. It wasn't fair; neither of them deserved it. Ryou Bakura sniffled and attempted to wipe away his tears using his sleeve. He would eventually have to stop crying, but his heart was aching so badly - that wasn't something that could be easily fixed.

Sighing shakily, he made a move to remove his necklace, The Millenium Ring. Once in his hands, he eyed it and held it securely. Oddly enough, it seemed to provide him comfort whenever he needed it ever since he father gave it to him. He assumed it was just that: because his father who was never home often had given it to him, it was something that was a sign of love in his absense.

"Excuse me?"

Ryou jumped, startled by the sudden presence, which caused him to drop the ring. He bent over to pick it up, but before he could, the other person snatched it. The young boy gulped and gazed up slowly to see a suspicious looking man standing before him. He was tall, tan and muscular. His outfit made Ryou think he wasn't from anywhere near his town. He, like Ryou, had white hair but shorter and unkept. His crimson eyes were carefully scanning over the entire surface area of the Millenium Ring.

"Not in bad condition..." he muttered under his breath. He then placed it back around the boy's neck, making him shiver. "You're Ryou."

Ryou froze. "H-how do you know my name?" he stuttered. For what he could remember, he'd never met the man. Could it be he was a friend of his father's from another country, seeing as how he didn't appear Japanese at all?

The man knelt before him, giving a warm smile that softened his rough features and distracted Ryou from the scar beneath his left eye. He felt trapped. He was beyond the point of 'not talking to strangers', and now, he wouldn't be able to getaway. Not only that, but no one was around to witness if something happened to him.

"I am your best friend," the man responded matter-of-factly. The younger stared at him as if he had three heads. How was it possible to be best friends with someone he never even met? Besides, he didn't have any friends to begin with.

"But...that can't be right..you're just a stranger," Ryou said meekly. The man frowned slightly. _I should've known he wouldn't remember me_, he thought to himself. He shook his head before pointing to the ring.

"That necklace you have on," he stated, "it's mine, too." Taking a glance down at the Millenium Ring, Ryou returned his gaze to the man more wearily than previous.

"My daddy...gave this to me," he tried to tell him.

"He got it in Egypt, didn't he?"

The small boy blinked. "How'd you know?" The odd man half-smirked.

"Allow me to explain." Before continuing, he turned his head to make sure there was no one else in earshot. "Do you believe in ghosts?" he then questioned in a low voice. Ryou's eyes widened a bit. When he didn't answer, the foreigner went on, "Well, I'm a spirit from ancient Egypt; my name is Akefia Bakura - no relation, by the way." _More like fate_, he noted to himself. "Don't believe me? Touch me and see what happens."

After a minute of hesitation, Ryou cautiously reached out to feel Akefia's tousled hair only to find he couldn't; his hand had phased right through! Pulling back fearfully, he nearly fell off the swing. "What do you want from me?" he squeaked, "What do I or the Millenium Ring have to do with you?"

Once seeing his reaction, Bakura decided to choose his next words carefully. "You see..you and I were_ friends_, in the past..when you were a prince. I had given you the ring back then because you were my prince."

_And I was your Thief King._

"When I died, my spirit became attached to it. That is why I am here now," he finished. He could've sworn he saw a twinkle in the boy's eyes. True, his father had told him about it's royal owner, but he never would've imagined he was it. It also didn't take Ryou long to realize that if the spirit resided inside the ring, that'd mean he'd be haunted.

"Would you like it back?" he offered, wondering if the object would bring him harm. Akefia chuckled and shook his head.

"On the contrary, keep it; I've been waiting for you to get it back. All I ask is that you aid me in a quest," said the spirit.

Ryou tilted his head. "What is your quest?" Akefia smirked inwardly.

"There are 6 other items like the one you have in your possession. If you can help me get them, in return, I shall give you all the friends you ever desired," he explained. The boy perked up.

"You...you can really do that?" he wondered aloud.

"Of course." The spirit nodded and held out it's hand. Ryou blinked at it before going to grab it. Instead of phasing through, remarkably, he was able to hold it. The boy grinned, as did the spirit.

"Allow me the honor of being your first friend, Ryou. Starting this day, our journey begins."


	2. Aftermath

**AN: **Now skipping all the way to after the trip to Egypt. I'm trying to keep them in character as much as I can, but if I slip up, forgive me OTL. Anyway, if there's anything anyone would like to see in future chapters, ideas are always accepted ^_^ Enjoy~

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><p>Ryou Bakura awoke that morning in his own body, in his own room, with a sense of relief. It had been so long since he was there, that now it seemed almost as if he was being overwhelmed with nostalgia. Often times he'd find himself waking up in his gloomy little soul room, the hospital, an alley; if he was lucky, he'd end up on the couch. <em>All thanks to that damn thief, <em>he thought with a sigh. Ryou rolled on his side and pulled the blankets tighter around himself. Even though sunlight was streaming through the nearby window, he didn't plan on getting up anytime soon. Besides, now that he had his life back, he could do whatever he wanted.

However, he wasn't able to be content just yet; such a task was difficult with the spirit of the Millenium Ring lingering in the back of his mind. Truth be told, Ryou still felt betrayed. He manipulated the boy at first with tales of the past and the promise of friendship at the beginning, but as time went on it became more apparent Ryou was nothing less of a tool to him. _He only saw me as his vessel...that's why he protected me, stood up for me..got tired of me_, Ryou thought sadly.

He shook his head; there was no reason to worry about it anymore. Two days ago while on a mission in Egypt, he ridded himself of his demon at last. The spirit would get what he deserved, and Ryou was satisfied with that. That was then - two days ago. If Ryou felt the weight of the world lift from their shoulders then...why should his heart feel so heavy?

He jolted from his spot at that moment when a sudden knock downstairs startled him out of his trance. "Just a minute!" he shouted as he struggled to get out of bed, which inevitably, ended him up on the floor, cacooned in his blanket. When he was finally able to free himself, he rushed to his closet, dressed himself in jeans and a light blue turtleneck, and made a beeline for the stairs. He reached the door, opened it and greeted the person...

...then wished he hadn't.

Standing before him, now nearly a mirror image, was the spirit of the Millenium Ring.  
>In his own body.<p>

Ryou trembled as he staggered away from the door. He would've fell backwards, tripping over his own feet, if the criminal had not caught him by the waist. "No! You're not welcome back here!" he yelled, a faint blush forming on his cheeks. He tried pushing him away, but could not. However, Bakura got the idea, and without another word, let his hikari go allowing him to fall. Ryou quickly got back up and was about to slam the door in his face, but the yami already stuck his foot in the entrance to prevent that from happening.

"I didn't follow you all the way here just to be shoved back out on the street," Bakura protested, entering the house. Ryou took another step back where he planted himself in attempt to stand his ground as the taller advanced. At last, he was close enough that the teen could feel his warm breath washing over him.

"Please...just..leave," begged the younger, "Haven't you already done enough damage?" Bakura smirked and lightly stroked the boy's cheek, causing him to shiver.

"The amount of damage I can cause would never be enough," he purred into Ryou's ear, "but wouldn't you much rather know why I came back?" Ryou gulped before responding with a hesitant nod. He didn't want to be used anymore, but he needed to know why he would go to the trouble of reconstructing his own body if he were to return to Ryou.

Gently, Bakura held the boy's chin and stared directly into his sweet chocolate eyes. The smaller whitette gasped then noticed the antagonizer had dropped his infamous smirk. "I came back for you. Gaining all Millenium Items is a lost cause now..but I'm not letting you go," he stated firmly. Ryou winced. Just who did he think he was? Stubbornly, the little hikari slapped Bakura's hand away from his face. The yami, for one, was stunned; he had no clue that the boy would ever dare to make such a move.

"You don't own me, so don't think you're going to come to _my_ home and try to control me!" Ryou told him fearlessly; though truth be told, he was terrified on the inside. The ex-spirit of the ring narrowed his eyes and growled.

"That's not what I meant, dammit!" he snapped. Ryou pouted and folded his arms (more like held himself), barely glancing at the other. A sigh escaped Bakura's lips, and rubbing his temples, attempted to explain, "I'm not here to control you...I'm here to.." He paused for what seemed like a while, "...to get you back." With Ryou staring at him bewildered, he cleared his throat and finished, "I want you to be mine again."

Almost anyone else might've melted at these words, but coming from him, Ryou remained solid. He really did have some nerve; betraying him then showing up at his house with a confession like that. He had to have another plan up his sleeve that involved skewering his hikari's trust - At least that's what Ryou thought. "I'm not buying your act. Besides...I was never 'yours' to begin with. When you were in control, you kept me locked away in my soul room, alone and forgotten. After a while, you barely made contact with me at all, and when you did, all you did was taunt me. Well, now that I've got my life back, I no longer want you in it. In fact I'd greatly appreciate it if you'd leave." He turned his back on Bakura, silently praying he'd leave.

_I did what I had to do to keep you safe. Granted, I'm not the best person there is and didn't always treat you right, but allowing you to get in the way would've been worse, _the thief reminded himself. Ryou's prayers ended in vain; instead of walking away, Bakura got closer and wrapped his arms securely around his fragile frame. "Reincarnation's a bitch," was the first thing he murmured. Ryou rolled his eyes, but the intruder went on, "Whatever, I'm gonna come out and say it: thousands of years ago, we weren't just friends, yanushi, we were more than that. Much more." He released his hikari whom in turn, faced him again appearing surprised.

"You mean we were-but I would never!.." Ryou protested, but was soon interrupted by Bakura's snicker. "What's so funny?" he insisted. Bakura simply shook his head and eyed him with a crooked smile.

"You know you really haven't change much at all. Oddly enough, you still have the same name, you're still kind hearted, still cute, still an overall beautiful person, but still with that 'prince' attitude." He stopped momentarily to watch Ryou's face turn a shade of pink. He ended his statement by saying with a shrug, "I also thought taking your virginity in your past life would've helped you remember me in this one."

"_Y_ou**_ WHAT?_**_" _The boy shrieked, his face now a bright red. Bakura couldn't help but laugh, which made him caught off guard that very second as Ryou tackled him to the floor. Ryou tried to seem as threatening as possible -which was a rather amusing sight-, earning a smirk from his darker counterpart.

"I'll tell you right now, if you think this isn't turning me on, you're making a mistake," Bakura warned him. Flustered, the whitette scurried off of him, but sat a foot away.

"I don't want to be with you just for your sexual pleasure, either," Ryou said, still blushing. The yami propped himself up and smiled half-heartedly at him.

"I didn't expect you to. However, would you want to be with me if I did this?" He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny box. Presenting the object to Ryou, he opened it to reveal a quartz ring with a topaz stone; the inside graving read 'Eternity'. The lighter was speechless, but Bakura continued, "I may have done you wrong in the past, however, I've always needed you. You are the light to my darkness, and without you, I am incomplete. All I ask is that you give me the chance to make you see...that I can be your everything."


	3. Treasure

**AN: **First of all I'd like to say that I personally see Akefia (Touzoku) and Yami Bakura as the same person/different appearance despite the fact many people portay Thief King as the kinder and less aggressive. Well taking my view into consideration, I'm making it so that these seperate ends can meet in my story, which hopefully I'll succeed at doing for you readers~ Secondly, incase you couldn't tell by now, if you're looking for a fanfic that has Ryou as Bakura's domestic abuse victim, this isn't for you. I like to write Romance, but I will not make Bakura some sappy, hopeless romantic; I'm doing what I can to keep him in character at least somewhat ^^' Now with that in mind, please enjoy :3 ~

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><p>Ryou was able to walk into school the next day confidently; one, he no longer had to worry about losing control over his body, and secondly, he was wearing a magnificent (not to mention non-deadly) ring around his finger. Of course when he entered homeroom, he did not go unnoticed unlike many times in the past. "Wow, that ring's beautiful, Ryou!" Anzu complimented him, instantly catching sight of his new jewelry. Ryou grimaced, knowing then he should've been more careful of how much he showed it off. It was bad enough the king of thieves had stolen it for him - making him fear someone might recognize it -, but of course it was going to earn him unwanted attention as well.<p>

"Good morning, Anzu-chan..erm..thank you," he said, faking a smile. But before he could even make it to his desk, he was crowded by those he considered his friends - Anzu, Yugi, Honda and Jonouchi.

"Ring, eh? Looks more like a woman's ring if you ask me!" Jonouchi laughed. Embarressed, Ryou blushed and glared at the floor thinking, _I should not have signed on to this._

In his defense, Anzu elbowed Jonouchi and scolded him, "Knock it off, it suits him fine. Besides, don't be jealous of Ryou just because Kaiba didn't give you something like that." Jonouchi was the only one who sneered while the other four laughed.

"Well I don't need no jewelry!" he growled before marching over to his boyfriend, Seto's, desk.

"Sooo~, who _is_ it from?" Honda questioned, nudging Ryou and making him look up with an uneasy expression.

"That..uhm...I can't say..." he murmured, scratching the back of his neck. Yugi blinked curiously.

"Why not?" he asked. Class was about to start, and he knew there wouldn't be time for their reactions. After all, the person he was now dating was also the same entity who attempted to destroy them all - except for Ryou. Even he was unable to understand why it was exactly he accepted to be with the Bakura. Perhaps it was because he was a forgiving person and thought just maybe the thief could use a second chance.

Maybe, like Bakura suggested, it was fate.

However as of late, Ryou wasn't ready to come to terms with that theory.

He opened his mouth to give the group an excuse as to why he couldn't tell them who gave him the ring, but was interrupted by the ringing of the bell. The others groaned, but he decided to quickly inform them, "He's coming to pick me up after school, you'll get to see him then." He was about to go find his seat when he remembered something he still needed to ask the little King of Games.

"Yugi-kun, I was wondering.." he started as the tri-color haired boy turned to him once more.

"What is it?"

Ryou paused, and asked cautiously, "Atem hasn't returned in any way, shape or form, has he?"

Yugi frowned and sighed sadly, "I'm afraid not." With that, he left for his desk and Ryou did the same.

~O~

For the rest of the day, school carried on as usual (with the exception of Honda and Jonouchi pestering Ryou about his 'secret admirer'). Several hours later, it came to an end, and Ryou rushed outside to the entrance. He waited impatiently, foot tapping, while constantly glancing at his watch. He stopped when he realized this wasn't the first time Bakura would be coming to get him from school.

***Flashback***

Young Ryou exited the elementary school with cold feet, uncertain of what to do next. His dad was away, and his mother was no longer around to provide a ride home. He had already missed the bus, and it was too late to call a relative. He wished he had paid attention to the route to his home in the past. Stories he heard about kidnappings kept him paranoid as he nervously paced back and forth at the entrance.

Until _he_ showed up out of thin air.

The tanned albino greeted him by saying, "Hello, ouji-sama. I see you're in need of some assitance." _Less than a year later, 'ouji-sama' was replaced by 'yadunshi'._

"Spirit!" Ryou squeaked, surprised by his sudden presence. His reaction caused the thief to let out an amused chuckle. _Less than a year later, even his softest laugh could send shivers down one's spine._

"In case you have forgotten, my name is Akefia," he reminded the child. He bent to his height and ruffled the little boy's hair. _Less than a year later, he insisted on being labeled only as 'Bakura'._

Ryou tried to smile for him. _Less than a year later, he cried because of him._

_"_I know how to get you back home," Akefia told him in a trusting tone. _Less than a year later, he was anything but trustworthy._

Ryou's demeanor brightened. "Please show me the way...?" he requested. The thief smiled sincerely and gently took hold of his hand - noting then how small and delicate it was compared to his own. Together, side by side, they trecked the sidewalk to Ryou's house. When the little one's legs got tired a while later, Akefia hoisted him up and carried him on his shoulders_. _They arrived at the quaint flat around dinner time. Having learned from his mother, Ryou cooked them a meal for two which they both enjoyed over a pleasant chat.

_Less than a year later, Akefia was rude and isolated himself from Ryou as often as possible. _

_What had brought about such a drastic change in him?_

***End Flashback***

"Is Mystery Man here yet?" Yugi called to Ryou as he rushed towards him along with Anzu, Jonouchi and Honda. Being snapped back into reality, Ryou turned to the others and absent-mindedly shook his head. However, just as the four approached him, a motorbike rounded the corner and swerved up to the curb where they stood; they had to jump back in order to prevent getting hit.

The rattled gang watched with jaws dropped as the rider dismounted his vehicle and removed his helmet to reveal his identity. It took them no time at all to recognize the spiked white hair and sinister crimson eyes. Tempers flared, Yugi, Jonouchi, Honda and Anzu circled Ryou protectively. "I'm not sure how or why you're here, Bakura, but you better stand back!" Yugi warned him, putting on the 'tough face' he had practiced with Atem. Bakura scowled, unamused.

"Out of my way," he demanded, "I've come to claim my treasure." The four eyed him cluelessly.

"We ain't sure what you're after, but whatever it is we don't possibly have. You, like the rest of us, should know the Millenium Bling are back in Egypt - where you should be!" Jonouchi informed him.

"That's right! And you can't have Ryou's new ring, either!" Anzu blurted. Her eyes widened, horrified, when three other pairs of eyes glared at her and she realized what she had done.

Still, the thief made no swift move to advance. Instead, he stomped his foot irritatedly. "Stupid girl, why on Earth would I try to steal something I had to already stolen for him?" There was an awkward silence, and Ryou was finally able to force his way to his yami. "The treasure I seek is not the ring," Bakura stated, intertwining his arm with his hikari's, "but the owner of the ring itself."

After a long pause, Honda wondered aloud, "The guy you were talking about..was Bakura?" The thief could see by the way Ryou stared at the ground that he was acting too bashful to reply, so he decided to answer for him.

"Yes, you fool. For the time being, I am his escort; to this, he has agreed, meaning I did not force him into this," he responded. At first, no one said anything.

Though when Yugi caught Ryou's eye, he spoke up wearily, "Is he telling the truth?" Ryou's gaze switched up to his yami then back to Yugi, and he sighed.

"He's telling the truth," he confirmed, "It may not seem like the brightest idea at the moment, but everyone deserves a second chance. Besides, there's so much more between us that is rather difficult to explain. I, myself, am even unclear of what it is." Bakura raised a brow at him when he said 'so much more between us', unsure of what he meant, but he would let it slide until later when he knew it would come up again.

"Yea, but Ryou, don't you remember what this guy's done to you?" Jonouchi persisted. He may have seemed arrogant, but he was genuinely concerned for the whitette's well-being like any good friend should be. Well, any friend that would be dating a villain that is. Still, Ryou didn't need to be reminded - he could never forget the scars Bakura had left him with. However he wouldn't be able to move on until he discovered the thief's true motives for doing what he had done - for changing for the worse.

Bakura shot Jonouchi a nasty look, and Ryou was ready to speak in his yami's defense (though he couldn't understand why he should either), but it was Yugi who stood between them. "That's enough. If Ryou wants to be with Bakura..so be it." He then faced Ryou with a soft expression. "If something goes wrong..you'll come to us right?"

Ryou thought about what he had said before forcing a reassuring smile. "Thank you, Yugi-kun. I'll be fine though." Finished with the confrontation, Bakura spun around - Ryou still hooked to him - and hopped back onto his motorbike.

Giving his helmet to Ryou, he instructed him, "Hang on tight." Ryou put the helmet over his head and obediantly latched himself to his yami, too afraid to be blown off the bike down the road anyway.

A split second later, they took off.

For Ryou, questions continued to arise - and yet so many were left unanswered.


	4. Memory

The motorbike remained parked at the foot of the hill while the two teens climbed to the top - one more reluctant than the other. Well how would you feel if the individual who once controlled your body and tried to destroy those closest to you was covering your eyes while leading you to an unknown location? Ryou felt dizzy at the thought of what Bakura had in store for him.

At last, the thief pulled his hand away, restoring the smaller boy's vision. The first place Ryou looked was down. Bad idea. The sight was that of people and cars, the size of ants, passing below him. Bakura had lead him up not just a hill, but a cliff that overlooked Domino City. Realizing what he must've been trying to do, Ryou spun and clung onto his yami. "Don't push me!" he cried. Bakura eyed him, perplexed.

"Little runt, I was never going to do such a thing," he assured him, instead shoving him down onto his knees. Ryou held back a whimper, instantly having second thoughts about giving Bakura a another chance. He forced himself back up and stood face to face with his yami.

"I..I can promise you I won't stick around if all you did was come here to bully me," Ryou croaked. He gulped and added, "betray me one more time, and I will never want to see you again."

"Betray you..?" Bakura echoed. He scowled, baring his canines, but soon something made his expression soften. Brows still furrowed, he said sternly, "Just look behind you." Ryou pouted and turned around, suddenly surprised by the scenery that lay in front of him. The overlook that the cliff provided was not so intimidating when looking straight ahead, and the whitette found himself captivated. Everything seemed so much smaller and somewhat unrealistic; this may have been because of the setting sun that dipped slightly behind the tallest structure (KaibaCorp Headquarters), giving off a halo effect.

"It's beautiful.." Ryou whispered.

Bakura huffed, "I thought it might be something you'd like." He then walked over to the nearest tree and leaned against its trunk. The hikari, still taking in the sight, sat quietly against the edge of cliff.

Minutes of silence passed before Bakura spoke up, "You know, I never meant to deceive you." It took Ryou a moment to register what had been said, but when he did, he turned to the other appearing disgusted..offended..or hurt. Bakura couldn't really tell.

"Don't be so ignorant," the boy sneered, "your plan was to earn my trust so you could get what you wanted all along, The Millenium Items. However, they're gone now, but I'm sure this new goal of yours is just another trick as well." The thief was about ready to shout, though he stopped when he spotted tears forming in the light's eyes. Geez, why did his former host have to be so sensitive? He carried on, "You were the only one I had; you were my best friend. How dare you say you didn't mean to deceive me when you were the one who changed into a monster!"

"The only person I ever changed for was _you! _I've always been a 'monster'," Bakura barked outloud.

Ryou rubbed his eyes and sniffled. "What are you..?"

Bakura marched over to him and kneeled down beside where he sat. "I've been this way for thousands of years, that includes my past life - with the exception of you. You, Prince Ryou of the Kingdom of Light, were able to break through my hard exterior. You were the one that made me want to be a better person. With you, I felt complete, and for once in my life, loved. I was...happy," he paused momentarily, lost in his past before continuing, "Then thousands of years later when I finally found you, guess what I discover while going through your soul room? **I **am nowhere in your memory - like I never even existed to you!" Ryou stared blankly into his eyes, trying desperately to find logic to what he was saying. Bakura tore away from his gaze. _This is no good; I can't allow him to make me this emotional._ With that in mind, he shot back up and went to the tree he was at previously, plopping down on the grass. Some 'date' this was turning out to be.

"I never meant to deceive you; all I did was give up hope that you'd remember what we had, and moved on. With that gone, I simply went back to my old self," he grumbled, barely audiable to the hikari.

"I don't like your 'old self'," came the reply.

Bakura smirked at the whitette who made his way over and now sat next to him. Ryou sighed. "'Kura..I'm sorry if I gave your hopes up, but you can't really blame me. It _was_ in another life, and when you first appeared to me, I was a child," he explained. "However, if you treated me the same way you did the day we met several years ago, I wouldn't have a problem..."

"..loving me again?" the yami broke in, his voice flat.

Despite the monotone, a faint blush formed on Ryou's cheeks, and he giggled softly. "Perhaps." He cleared his throat and quickly regained composure. "But! If..if you taunt me anymore, or...or disrespect me..I..I won't have anything to do with you! Also, no more weird bipolar moodswings!" he stuttered, holding back his laughter. _Could this be happening? Am I really going to get my best friend back and be..loved?_

Bakura perked up at his words and guidelines. "Hm..." He grinned at his hikari. "I suppose that could be arranged," he agreed. "But first..." And in an instant, he had Ryou in a headlock, noogieing his scalp. Same old Thief King.

"Hey!" Ryou laughed. "Stop it!" Bakura laughed with him and ended the torment.

"That should keep me good for a while," he said putting his hands behind his head and gazing out toward the horizon.

"A while?" Ryou scoffed. He rolled his eyes playfully before resting his head down on Bakura's lap, making the thief tense a bit. He couldn't believe it, he finally had his prince back after so long. Ryou couldn't believe it either - his yami actually cared for him again.

"You know.." the whitette yawned, "I may not know much about what happened between us in the past, but if you could teach or help me start over, I wouldn't mind that." Bakura smiled warmly and kissed Ryou's fluffy head.

"Gladly," he whispered into his ear. That was the last word the hikari heard as he drifted into a peaceful sleep.

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><p>"...And this is where we keep the prisoners," Atem announced as the two princes entered the dunjeon. The soon-to-be-pharaoh was giving a tour of his palace to his dear friend, Prince Ryou, and this was to be their last destination. Ryou glanced at the cells around him, trembling under the watch of the troublemakers; half of them seemed like they would break him in two if he stepped too close, and a few dared to make inappropriate comments at him. Sensing his fear, Atem turned to the fragile prince and assured him in a gentle voice, "There's no chance of them getting out; they can't do anything to you." Ryou nodded, and they continued onward. The royals had no other choice but to pass through since the whitette's guards would be waiting to take him home at the end.<p>

Then they passed a cell with a prisoner that was not so threatening. He, unlike the other criminals, paid no attention to the princes; instead he sat alone in the corner of his cell. Ryou haulted and asked Atem, "Who's he?" Atem turned to see who he was talking about and laughed light-heartedly.

"That's Akefia, self proclaimed 'King of Thieves'. He's become a nuinsance to my kingdom and now's awaiting execution," he explained. He bent down and picked up a pebble before proceeding to throw it at the prisoner. The thief didn't take that well. Instantly, he lunged at the bars of the cell and bared his canines - he reminded Ryou of a trapped wild dog.

"Mark my words, little pharaoh, I will crush your kingdom for destroying my village!" Akefia barked. He showed even more disrespect by spitting on Atem's feet. His attention switched to Ryou and saw that he had white hair, a rare trait in Egyptian people, but one he also possessed. "Who's this?"

Before Atem could say anything, Ryou answered, "I am Prince Ryou." The thief laughed mockingly.

"Prince? Why such the long hair and womany clothing? I could've sworn you were just a fancy little princess," he teased. The prince's curious expression saddened.

Atem snorted and went to leave, cape wavering behind him. "Come, Ryou, he is not worth our time. He is nothing more than dirt beneath our feet." The whitette hesitated, remaining where he stood. He thought about how the thief chose to pick on him rather than continuing to threaten the tri-color haired prince. If he had to do that in order to seem tough, perhaps he wasn't so bad - simply insecure at heart, only to find comfort in bullying those weaker. Then there was what he said about his village...

"Tell my guards I'll be there momentarily." Both Atem and Akefia eyed him oddly, though the young pharaoh merely shrugged and exited the dunjeon. Once he was gone, Ryou looked back to the thief and said, "You do not frighten me."

"I don't care."

The Little prince blinked, confused to see the 'King of Thieves' crawling back to his corner. Being a sympathetic person, a part of Ryou couldn't help but feel sorry for a him. "Akefia...? I'd like to talk to you," he offered.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'd prefer if you didn't," the thief hissed. Ryou frowned, but kneeled outside the cell despite his unwanted presence.

"Fine, don't talk to me. At least listen." The prisoner gave no response, so the prince continued, "For your information, I don't believe in punishment by execution; from what I can tell, your bark is worse than your bite anyway." Akefia side-glanced at him, and Ryou finished by saying, "I can get you out of here."

Finally, the thief pushed himself up and went to sit opposite of the prince. "Why would you wanna help me?" he interrogated. He might've been faced with the hard, menacing face of a criminal, but Ryou managed a warm smile.

"Because a handsome petty thief like you doesn't deserve the death penalty just for not being able to shut his mouth," the smaller said bluntly.

Akefia snarled, "Do not underestimate me; if I were free right now, I could kill you without effort. You don't know my past, nor what I've done, nor what I've been through."

"But you wouldn't kill me."

Akefia could only stare at him blankly.

The prince sighed. "I could have my guards move you to the prison in my kingdom then have you released there. Do you want to be freed or not?" The thief thought it over deeply, but after a few moments, gave a nod.

"However, remember that this is your doing which means you'll be responsible for every advantage I take of the situation. Also, once I am free, don't think you'll get rid of me easily," he warned. Ryou tilted his head, uncertain if he should take that as a threat. Regardless, he reached through the bars, ruffled Akefia's hair as if he were a child, and smiled happily.

Bounding up, he told the thief, "I'll be back as soon as I inform Atem and the guards." With that, Akefia was left to watch him skip off merrily.

He smiled internally and muttered, "Foolish, naive prince doesn't know what he's getting himself into...it's a good thing he's pretty."


	5. Proof

**AN: THIS CHAPTER IS RATED M FOR YAOI/LEMON. **This is also my first time writing like 'that' so please go easy on me xwx. Secondly, I'd like to thank everyone for all the favorites and alerts on this story, it really motivates me to continue with it (only reason I haven't was because of the nature of this chapter. It stumped me.)~! However, what I'd appreciate more than favorites are COMMENTS. Feedback is always welcomed, and it would help me figure out what I might need to work on or what you guys like. Anyway, enjoy~

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><p>Ryou never knew his feet could transport him so quickly. Ever since he had woken up in his house that morning <em>alone<em> his mind had been burdened, and now he was determined to race back to hopefully get some explanations. The evening before, he was able to live out his fantasy of laying beside Bakura watching the sunset -

Wait, since when had that been a fantasy of his?

Anyway, he had fallen asleep at some point and had a peculiar dream of meeting a criminal. The criminal was the same thief he had met when he was 8 years old, Akefia - currently known as Bakura. The place they met was located in an old dunjeon and long before modern times. Was it really just a dream, or could it have been...a memory? He needed to talk to his yami to know for sure. Unfortunately, ever since that morning, the thief had been missing.

At last, his house was insight. Holding his breath, he burst through the door and immediately called out, "Bakura, are you in here?" He received no answer, and so swiftly resorted to searching the entire house - both floors, in every corner of every room.

No one.

Near exhaustian, Ryou sat on a step, mid-staircase, to rest sometime later. Burrying his face in his hands, he sighed and began wondering where the chaotic other could've wandered off to.

He stayed there sullenly for an hour - completely forgetting homework and regular duties - , but just as negative thoughts started creeping their way into his imagination, he heard the sound of the door opening. Ryou remained silent as he watched the albino sneak around the corner and enter the living room, unaware of his hikari's presence. This wasn't the kind of sneaking that showed he was up to no good, but rather, he appeared to be trying to pull off the type of stealth where he would act as if he had never been gone.

And boy was he surprised when his hikari asked aloud, "Where have you been?"

Bakura turned as pale as the spiritual entity he had once been as he was forced to face the boy on the other side of the room. "Me? Oh, I was...at Marik's; thought I'd pay him a visit...you know, for old times sake."

_Strike 1._

Ryou stood up, arms folded, and walked over to his boyfriend. Judging by the way he came in and the uneasiness in his tone, he knew something wasn't right. "Is that so? How is he?" he questioned skeptically.

"He's...er...he's fine," Bakura muttered, obvious to the fact that Ryou wasn't buying his tale. It was a good thing he came prepared. "But hey! I got you something while I was out," he quickly said, wanting to prevent the hikari from continueing the current matter. Without waiting for a response, he fled off to the door only to return seconds later with a boquet of irises. "These are for you, Ryou."

The hikari blinked and covered his mouth. He wasn't stupid enough to not know what Bakura was doing, but this act of kindness was rare for the thief, so Ryou couldn't help but accept the flowers, pushing the situation at hand to the back of his mind. "Bakura..these are wonderful. Thank you," he cooed, receiving the boquet. The yami smiled and shrugged. He wanted to say it wasn't a big deal since it had been a last minute thought, but then he noticed how lovingly Ryou gazed at the irises - the way his eyes sparkled, his soft lips still agape.

And so Bakura said nothing, and instead by replacing words with action, he gave the boy a small, gentle kiss.  
>And the boy kissed back.<p>

Then in that moment, Ryou recalled why he had rushed home to see Bakura in the first place and parted from him. "Bakura..yesterday, I..I think remembered something about our past lives," he confessed. The albino's eyes widened slightly.

"What did you remember?" he prompted eagerly.

Ryou hesitated, but staring distantly at the boquet in his hands, responded, "I believe it was when we first met - in a dunjeon perhaps? Atem was there, as well." At the mention of Atem and the dunjeon, Bakura ginned widely.

"That's it!" he exclaimed, embracing the hikari and spinning him around. Ryou giggled, glad to have made his yami happy, but also glad to know what he said was true - as unbelievable as it sounded, they were a couple in past lives.

As Bakura set him back to his feet, Ryou asked, "Do you think any other memories will come back to me?" Bakura let out a sigh of hope and relief.

"Ra, I hope so," he admitted, "If you did, that'd be great. Maybe then we could continue the relationship from where we left off." The whitette nodded, but Bakura could see in his features that something else was on his mind -

Could it be what had happened when he arrived?

That possibility vanished when Ryou spoke up. "But until that time...let's see what we can make of what we have in this lifetime, alright? I'm not your prince or anything anymore, and you've still got a lot of making up to do. You're going to have to accept that." 'Accept that' - easier said than done. Bakura stood, deep in thought, as he watched the lighter turn to enter the kitchen. Perhaps his hikari did have a point, and he should hold back somewhat. However, it would still be difficult for him. Say _you_ loved someone and waited thousands of years to have them back only to discover what you had before hand meant nothing; how would you feel? Not good, and Bakura could tell that by the knot in his heart.

Though Ryou also was right about him having a lot of make up work to do in order to show he actually did care for him. The yami considered taking the slower approach in order for his boyfriend to warm up to him more when a tempting idea crossed his mind. An idea that would make the two closer, and maybe in the process, revive a couple old memories for Ryou; an idea that was much more than flowers and a sunset...

Wearing a smirk as sly as a fox's, Bakura crept into the kitchen to find the boy standing at the counter, placing the irises into a water-filled vase. He silently made his way over to behind the hikari, snaking his arms around his waist, thus causing him to gasp and blush brightly.

Whipping his head to see who it was, Ryou shrieked, "Bakura! Don't startle me like that!" The albino snickered, pressing his body against the whitette's.

"Excuse me...but, you are aware of how sex works, right?" he stated bluntly. That instantly caused Ryou to become absolutely still.

"What k-kind of question is that!" The whitette sputtered, and Bakura cackled.

"My dear hikari, it's just that: a question," the albino then purred. Next, he subtly slipped a cool hand up underneath Ryou's shirt. The smaller boy let out a soft moan from the touch.

"P-please Bakura..d-don't do this," he whimpered. Said yami ignored him, running his hand further up the pale boy's smooth chest and nuzzling his face into his hikari's neck, breathing warm air down it. The feeling of Ryou shivering in his grasp gave him chills. Bakura continued, kissing up to Ryou's lobe then flicking it with his tongue as he started the task of undoing the buttons of his hikari's uniform top. The whitette squeaked, and a louder moan escaped his lips. "Noooo," he protested weakly, blush deepening once his shirt and jacket were nearly removed.

Bakura grinned, pleased with Ryou's reactions. "If you really don't want it, show me some resistance," he provoked the younger. Ryou bit his lip nervously for he knew that putting up a fight with his yami would be useless. Besides, and even if he was ashamed to admit it, Ryou couldn't say he disliked the attention he was receiving. Did he truly want him to stop?

"I-I t-thought I told you not to use me just for s-sex..." he stammered. Bakura paused and spun his hikari around to face him.

Looking straight into Ryou's eyes, he declared, "I don't. Is it so wrong to show my boyfriend my highest level of affection?" The whitette avoided his gaze, but shook his head slightly.

"I understand...b-but I've w-wanted something like this to be...s-special..." he murmured. Bakura sighed and cupped his lover's face in his hands. Wether the hikari wanted it or not, he could've just taken it...why did he have to turn him into such a softie?

"I realize that, but I would like nothing more than to be the one giving you that pleasure," he told him carefully, "I love you a huge degree, all I want is to be able to express it to you so I can gain your trust again." Ryou did not answer, merely stared somewhere off into subspace. He thought deeply for what seemed like an hour or so but was really about a minute. The awkward pause made Bakura wonder if Ryou had heard him at all or had zoned out completely.

At last after much hesitation, Ryou stood on his toes to give the yami a soft kiss on the lips - a sign of approval. Hooking his arms around his neck, he whispered, "Alright...y-you can make love to me.." The whitette hid his face in the other's chest so he wouldn't see his reddening cheeks. Bakura grinned widely, excited by his hikari's words that were his ticket _in_! Before the smaller boy could have the chance to change his mind, the albino scooped him up in his arms and swiftly made his way out of the kitchen, up the stairs and to the bedroom.

Upon entering his room, Bakura laid Ryou down on the bed and climbed ontop of him. Here, they locked eyes, and it seemed as if the world had stopped. Staring into his hikari's eyes, the yami realized the upcoming love-making would be different than the hot wild sex he had previously imagined. In order to do it properly and fulfil Ryou's wish, he'd have to be passionate and gentle. Sigh. But oh well. The enthusiasm might have to wait until next time; assuming there would be a next time.

"Are you ready for this, Ryou..?" Bakura cautioned. The whitette nodded nervously, blush appearing permanent. The albino smiled assuringly as he nudged Ryou's legs apart and settled between them. Leaning down, he captured the boy's soft lips in an affectionate kiss that quickly became heated due to Ryou's sudden eagerness; the little hikari was even surprisingly willing to open his mouth at the slightest when Bakura licked at his lips. Ryou grew shy though once the other's tongue was stuck into his mouth and tangled itself around his own. The yami easily gained dominance, as expected, but was amused by Ryou poking his muscle timidly.

Both of them needed air sooner or later and eventually broke the kiss, still connected by a string of saliva. Leaving his lover gasping for air, Bakura's next move was to make a trail of butterfly kisses down his neck and to his exposed chest. Bakura allowed his mouth to linger over to one of Ryou's peaking buds which he bit down on, causing the whitette to arc against him, then licking away the pain. Ryou's awakening length was the result of the attention given to him. Bakura detected it while brushing against the bulge during his exploration of the hikari's pale body and stopped only to smile crookedly up at the lighter. Ryou gulped and eyed his boyfriend wantingly. "P-please 'Kura..n-no more fooling around...?" he requested. The more he was aroused, the more he yearned to be touched. Outside and in. Surely it was a sin.

He was new to it so his yami was aware he wouldn't last long but knew in the future he'd have to teach the hikari the ways of foreplay; fortunately, Bakura was overjoyed to move on. "Understood~," he said in agreement. No longer wasting time, he reached down and tore off the boy's pants and undergarments. Ryou quickly covered his face in attempt to hide his embaressment, but the darker couldn't comprehend what exactly he was embaressed of. The small, porcelain form below him was...stunning. Hadn't he realized? Bakura figured probably not considering how humble the hikari always was. If that was the case, he felt obliged to be the one to tell him.

"Hey..." he whispered, lowering his head beside Ryou's. "That's not very fair."

Peaking through his fingers, the whitette asked, "What's not fair?"

Bakura's charm was at work again and he said, "Blocking your darling face from me...C'mon, you are very beautiful and have nothing to be ashamed of." '_'Darling'...? 'Beautiful'...?'_ he echoed in the back of his mind, _'Hikari, what have you turned me in to..._'

Nevertheless, it got Ryou to remove his shakey hands. He stared into Bakura's crimson eyes and noticed the faint smile painted on his lips that the yami used to peck his hikari's cheek. It provided some reassurance. After such a history of cruelty, who could've imagined the ex-thief was capable of being so fragile.

"Now, I have one last question," Bakura spoke.

"Oh? W-what is it?"

"...Do you happen to have any lube..?"

The color temporarily drained from Ryou's face. He guessed the darker didn't want to ask but was glad he did. Had he tried taking Ryou without any lubrication, the experience would've undoubtedly by painful. Instead of saying anything, the whitette pointed to a nightstand next to the bed. Why was it he kept it anyway? - not because he planned on losing his virginity, but the fact that every guy his age, including Ryou, needs their 'alone time' every now and then. Bakura merely nodded and reached over the bed to retrieve the special item from the drawer.

The albino then proceeded to lower his own pants and reveal his hardened member. The hikari's eyes widened once witnessing his length. It wasn't monstrous, but it was too big to be missing any preparation. Before the main event could begin, Bakura coated two fingers and, using his other hand to raise Ryou's hips, stuck them into the boy's hole. The uke groaned as the digits penetrated his entrance; it wasn't bad or uncomfortable, simply unusual. He tried to adjust to the newfound feeling until his seme started stretching the fingers apart. Since the young lover was unbelievably tight, Bakura knew it would hurt him but also that it was necessary at the same time.

Ryou cried out from the increasing agony that originated in his back area. He grabbed a pillow and used it to muffle his sounds; though it ached, he couldn't say he truly hated the scissoring. Meanwhile, the yami focused on digging deeper; he could hardly wait to have his hikari's walls around his swelling member, however for that to happen, Ryou needed to be made accessible.

Tears pricked at the light's eyes. "Bakura...!" Ryou called out his name hoping he would hurry. Bakura responded removing his fingers and leaning down again to kiss Ryou's neck gently.

"Almost done," he murmured. He coated a third digit, looking down at his pained hardness. _'He'll definitely need three fingers worth...'_Next, Bakura warned, "Brace yourself." Without further delay, Bakura thrusted three fingers into Ryou's hole and stretched them out at a faster pace than he would have normally taken. He himself felt like he was going to burst.

The whitette let out another scream and bucked into his hand. Accompanying the movement was a flash that blinded his vision as one of Bakura's fingers brushed against his sensitive nerves. "Oh Ra!" he yelled and felt his need twitch, spurting droplets of pre-come across the other's abdomin. The yami swiftly retracted his digits and slicked his length. The erect was almost unbearable now, so much so that he couldn't find the will to speak more then, "Ready now?"

"Y-yes..." Ryou replied, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

The tone did not go unnoticed. Bakura bit his lip to keep from moaning impatiently. "Sure you are? You don't sound like it..."

Ryou gazed up at his lover at last and just like that, was red in the face once more. "I'm sure..." he told him, "I-I want you to make me y-your's..." The decision wasn't out of whim or desperation - it was a choice that derived from his heart.

_'And I want you to be mine...now in this lifetime more than ever.._' Pleased to be confident of his hikari's option, Bakura shoved forward into the tight passage. The feeling of being filled was overwhelming, and thanks to the careful preparation, it was practically painless for the little whitette. It took every ounce of his being for Bakura to stay still and give Ryou time to become accustomed to his wide length. He had underestimated the limits of his uke. It didn't take long for Ryou to start rocking his hips against the penetrating member which inevitably caused Bakura to go over the edge. He braced himself over the smaller and began thrusting. The reaction was direct - Ryou's earlier moans were nothing compared to the erotic shouts flowing from his lips.

"Oh ... mmm! Faster...! Harder, Bakura...!" Ryou demanded. His only thoughts were of how good the sensations all over his body were; although, the presence of a burning heat arising in his stomach scared him.

Bakura wasn't doing much better - he could feel his own climax swiftly approaching but was too proud to let himself be the one to orgasm first. Responding to Ryou's orders, he continued to drive faster and deeper into the body beneath him.

"Ha...ngh..'K-kura!..." The whitette panted. His yami was hitting that sweet spot that made him experience intense pleasure.

"Ah, Ra... Ryou!" Bakura answered. He roughly grasped Ryou's needy erection and pumped it rythmically each time he pounded into his hikari. The boy's back arched as he screamed his release ecstatically. His body convulsed around the albino's, causing him to shout out his own release; filling the boy with his seed.

The darker's moans grew more hushed as he tried to regain control of his composure. He laid down and kissed Ryou's cheek lightly, still inside the male. Attempting to catch his breath, Ryou glanced up at him. "I...I..." He could barely speak.

Pausing from steadying his respiration, Bakura told him, "No words." He merely closed his eyes and grinned, enjoying the warmth Ryou brought to him and embracing the utter delight he felt for claiming the boy to be his. The hikari didn't try to respond but did settle beside Bakura. He smiled contently, he too closing his eyes, and clung to his yami.

They stayed like that for what seemed like days. Bakura trailed kisses around Ryou's neck slowly, feeling happier than he ever had in the last thousands of years.

Never before had Ryou felt so comfortable or so loved by anyone, and he was glad he allowed Bakura to be the one to show him that. He kissed the male's head lightly and softly giggled at the kisses his neck received.

Exhausted from all the events that had just ocurred, Bakura forced himself up and slowly pulled himself out of the male, hearing him whimper at the loss of heat inside him. He then laid on top of Ryou, whispering sweet nothings in his ear as his fingers played with the sides of his chest. Fortunately, the loss was quickly forgotten when the hikari listened to his yami, blushing and heart racing. _'I must be the luckiest boy alive...'_ he thought. That thought stuck in his mind, the lighter fell quiet. He was content and started to doze off.

Bakura also felt the pressure of falling asleep and murmured, "I love you, Ryou..." before passing out from sheer tiredness.

Ryou then yawned, "I love you too, Bakura..." And at last, sleep overcame him, and he rested peacefully.


End file.
